Machine for molding butter.



PATENTED JULY ze, 1903.4

" A. c. DODGE. `MAGHINE FOR MOLDING BUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1899.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WHN'ESSES:

INVENTOR @MMV @HSW BY j Z., @WLTZTNEYS l if C@ i. No. 734,680.' Y -PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

' A. C. DODGE.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING BUTTER.

` Arrmuulon FILED we. as, 1899. "no MODEL. i s sHEn'rs-snnm m.

: muy

WITNSSES: l r INVENTOR y@ BY I MATWQ//Mw ATTORNEYS PATENTED JULY 28, '1903.

A. c. DODGE. MACHINE EDE MODDING EUTTEE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1899.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3` N o MODEL.

Vproved mold for shaping butter; also, to pro`` o. 734,6BOL

Patented Ju1y 2s, 1903.

PATENT FFICE..N

l ALFRED o. DODGE, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

"MACH-1|NLF` FOR MOLDING BUTTER.

.SPECIFICATION forming part emettere Patent No. 734,680, dated July 2s, 1903.

i Appneenen iedae'guet 25, 1899. seriel Ne. 728.396. No model-1 T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, ALFRED O. DODGE, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Molding Butter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for moldingbutter.`

It has forits object to provide machines that can besuccessfully employed in practical use in makingmoldsof butter; also, to improve the means `for operating buttermolding machines, to make their operation easier,A and to increase the power of such machines; also, to diminish the space occupied by such machines; also, to prevent leak-V age or loss of butter or buttermilk; also, to make the mold of butter-more regular and compact and to make them `of apredetermined size 'or weight; also, to provide a new and imvideanimproved removable and replaceable Vm'old and to improve the means for securing the same in connection with the butter-receptacle and for removing it therefrom; also, to

provide improved means for removing the vide au i'mproved cutter for severing butter in the'molds from the'butter reinainingin the butter-receptacle; also, to provide a new and improved piston easily removable from the piston-rod for the purpose of cleaning orfor other purposes and'easily replaceable thereon and new and improved means for making the piston rotatable on the piston-rod and for securing it thereto; also, to provide means for preventing the piston-rod from rusting and for cushioning the fall of the piston and pis-` ton-rod when released; and generally to prof vide a Vnew and improved butter-molding machine which can be easily operated, which is iisimple in construction, certain in Operation; which contains no place forthe lodg`` ment 'and retention of butter, and the parts of which can be easily taken apart and pnt together for the purposes of cleaning or for other purposes.

It consists of the novel devices herein shown and described.

In the drawings accompanying this speci- `fication and forming part hereof, and in which similar reference characters in the dil-ferent views represent corresponding parts, I have shown and will now proceed to describe the preferred 'orm or vembodiment of my invention.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a machine for molding butter containing one form or embodiment of my inven tion, the section being taken on the lines A A,`Fig.`2. Fig. 2 is-a plan of the same with one handle removed. m Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the lines B B of Figpl,

viewed as shown by the arrow. Fig. 4 'is a r detail vertical section of one of the molds.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section ,through the nut and its connections, taken on the lines C C of Eig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view of the locking-piece for locking the piston to the piston-rod, and

Fig. 7 is a plan of the rotary cutter.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, 1 is thereceptacle forreceiving the butter, that is preferably rotatable upon its axis, but i'rnmov` able longitudinally. In the form shown in the drawings it is mounted by means of ball- 'bearings upon framework 2,2`bolted by means from plate 3 and taking into a groove in pis` ton-rod 5, prevents the latter from rotating. I provide a suitable cutter for severing the butter in the moldsfrom that remaining in the receptacle. In the form shown in the drawings the cutter is a rotary cutter 8, arl

ranged between the butter-receptacle and the molds, and is providedwith aseriesof con;`

IOO

centric openings 9 of the same size as the openings in the molds. Any suitable means for operating the cutter may be employed; but I prefer means for operating it from the outside of the casing, as will be presently described. The molds are preferably removable from and replaceable in the machine and are connected with it by mechanism presently to be described, so as to form a perfectlytight connection to prevent the leakage of butter or buttermilk. The means for ejecting the butter from the mold will be presently described.

By rotating the butter-receptacle pistonrod`5 and piston 6 are caused to move longitudinally within it and to force the butter into the molds, after which the butter in the molds is separated from the butter remaining in the receptacle by means of the cutter. The molds are then removed from the machine and the butter ejected therefrom. The mechanism for accomplishing this will be presently described.

For some features ot' my invention it is not necessary that the butter-receptacle rotate. In the preferred form, however, it rotates.

The means for rotating the butter-receptacle, shown in the form of my invention disclosed in the drawings, consist of handles 10.

l ing that receptacle.

I provide means for holding these handles at right angles to the butter-receptacle and for dropping them down when desiredY parallel to the butter-receptacle, so that the handles will be out of the way when the machine is not in use. The above means for holding handles at right angles and for permitting them to be dropped down consist of a pin 11, projecting from both sides of the handles near their inner ends, a bracket 12, projecting from the sides of the butter-receptacle, each bracket having two slots 13 in itssides, in which pin 11 is adapted to slide. Each bracketis provided with a part 14,along which the inner part of the handle slides when pin 11 is pushed inward along slot 13. In the form shown there are two parts 14 in each bracket, the two parts together forming a pocket. When the handles are pushed inward, their inner ends slide into the pockets formed by the parts 14, and they are held rigidly at right angles to the butter-receptacle and can be used for rotat- When pulled outward, they can be lowered parallel to the butter-receptacle. The piston is preferably made rotatable upon piston-rod 5 and removable and replaceable thereon. The preferred means for accomplishing this consist of a lockingpiece 15, which has arms 16 1b', which are adapted to enter into a groove 17 in the piston-rod and a groove 18 in the piston to lock the two parts together and at the same time be loose enough to permit the rotation of the piston upon the piston rod. The lockingpieceis provided with a short handle 19, of such a length that when the locking-piece is pushed into the grooves of the piston-rod and piston, as shown in full lines in Fig. 6, the

short handle 19 does not touch the sides of the butter-receptacle; but the handle is long enough to prevent the removal of the locking-piece except when the pistonis moved out of the end of the butter-receptacle. The latter I accomplish by making the piston-rod 5 and butterreceptacle 1 of such a length that when the piston-rod is moved to one limit of its motion piston 6 will project from the end of the butter-receptacle l. In this position of the parts the locking-piece can be removed and replaced and the piston removed for cleaning or other purposes and be replaced. By these means the piston can be easily and quickly removed and replaced in position, and it will be at all times free to rotate upon the piston-rod.

The piston must it inside the butter-receptacle so tightly that neither butter nor buttermilk can ooze or squeeze past the periphery of the piston. 'lo prevent such escape or leakage, I place suitable packing 20 around the periphery of the piston. In its preferred form this packing is placed in acurved peripheral receptacle 21 in the piston,

adapted to receive and hold a strip of packing material when wound therein, and conL sists of a strip of suitable packing material which is wound in said receptacle. In practice I nd a packing that is adapted to swell is best suited for the purpose, and I prefer to use twine or string which will swell when wet, as I find that this forms a thoroughly tight packing and prevents escape or leakage of butter or buttermilk past the piston.

The piston-rod and butter-receptacle may be moved relatively to each other longitudinally of the butter-receptacle by any suitable means in order to cause the piston to force the butter into the molds. I prefer in practice to move the piston-rod in the butter-receptacle and to do it by the following-described means: The piston-rod is preferably made screwthreaded, as shown in Fig. 1, and a nut secured to the butter-receptacle and composed of parts adapted to close together to engage with the screw-threaded rod and to open to release the piston-rod, imparts longitudinal motion to the piston-rod due to the rotation of the butter-receptacle. In the form shown in the drawings the nut consists of two parts 22 22, moving in slots 23 in the lower part of the case of the butter-receptacle and each having a pin 24 projectinginto a slot 25 25 in a cam-plate 26. Slots 23 have inclined sides, as shown in Fig. 5, to prevent nut 22 from rising. This cam-plate has an opening through which piston-rod 5 freely IOO tof

in certain limits. Handles 27 27 project from this cam-plate, by means of which the plate is turned. As the handles 27 27 are moved one way orthe other the cam-plate, by means of the cam-surfaces of its slots 25, through pins 24, moves the parts 22 22 of the nut together, so as to engage the screw-threaded piston-rod 5, or opens them, so as to release the piston-rod. When the parts of the nut nare closed together, the rotation of the but- M ter-receptace moves the piston-rod and piston longitudinally in the butter-receptacle. By separating the parts of the nut the piston- `rod and piston and their connections, in the `form of my` device shown inthe drawings,

where the butter-receptacle isvertical, are allowed to drop downwardn This affords a speedyway of :restoring normal position.

Myimproved machineisespecially'designed 1 for making molds of butter of comparatively large size-that is, from one-half pound up to ten pounds-as distinguished from small pats of butter intended for table use. For molds of `such size it is preferable to have a machine of considerable sizeand` power, like butter-receptacle is vertical, and as in such that shown in the drawings.

:In the preferred form of -my machine the form the butter is usually put into the recepi tacle at the top I find it preferable to reduce the height of the machine by the followingdescribed means: For this purpose I preferably provide anopening in the butter-receplarger than the diameter .of the piston-rod,

and in this chamber I preferably place oil. By placing such a quantity of oil in this chamber as to `fill the same when the pistonl rod is lowered to its full extent all parts of 1 thus prevented from rusting.

i i chine.

f be printed upon the butter.

the piston-rod n `.the chamber are oiled, and

I also preferably place a screw-cap 32at the lower end o'f Vthe piston-rod. Thisis made to fit the cham-v ber, so as to form a piston, and by any suitable means, as by makingthe fitting a loose one,

`manner fromone side of the piston tothe other. Inthis way the fall ofthe piston-rod and piston and connections when released by the nut iscushioned. Of course for this purpose any suitable iiuid may be used inl the chamber 31.

One or any suitable number of molds may be used in connection with my improved ma` I have shown three molds in the form of machine shown in the drawings. Each of these molds is provided with a plunger 33, in

the face of which',`if desired, is preferably placed an imprint 34 of any design desired to this plunger, which comes in contact with the butter, I makeof a substance to which butter i I find the best sub-` is notinclined to cling;

stance for this purpose to be plaster-of-paris;

these parts to their The surface of` `This substance is well adapted to take any form of design to be imprinted upon the butter, and when the butter is forced out of the mold the butter readily leaves themold without leaving any of the butter clinging to the `surface of the plunger and without any dis- `iig'urement or destruction of `the design imprinted upon the butter. Other substances may be used-such, for example, asany suitable wood when properly treated or stone where very little pressure is needed and where the butter is soft-but both wood andstone are entirely impractical for use in butterrnolding machines where great pressure is to `beexerted on the butter or where the butter is hard. Neither wood nor stone nor any other substances of which I am aware is as desirable for this purpose as plaster-of-paris;

Great difficulty has heretofore been encountered in removing butter molds from `the molds in which they are formed Without the clinging of more or less of the butter to the face of the mold or plunger and the disfigdip the plunger in water before commencingl the operation of forcing the butter into the mold. During the subsequent operation the moisture in the butter keeps the plaster-ofparis surface sufficiently moistened.

The molds may be made in any suitable form. In the form shown in the drawings the plunger 33 is mounted upon a piston-rod 35, which fits snugly into an opening in the upper end of mold 7 and is provided at its upper end with-a thumb-piece 36. A spring 37 tends to keep the plunger at the lower `part of the mold or at the end nearer the butterreceptacle. The butter is forced into `the mold against the pressure of this spring,which 4tends to make the molds more `regular and compact. It is sometimes desirable "to relieve the printed mold ot' butter from the pressure of the spring while still in the mold. For this purpose I provide a stop 40,\ful' crumed at 41, and having a spring 42, pressing against its other-end and tending to hold tt against pistou-rod 35.

rco I IIO 43 43 are cut-away portions in the' pistonwiththe thumb on the lower end of lever- L stop 40. i In order to make molds of different'sizesL- as, for instance, two-pound, pound, halfpound, and so on-I provide openings 38 38 at different predetermined positions in pistonrod 35 and place an adjustable stop 39 in one of such openings. This adjustable stop is arranged so as to strike the inner surface of the mold at the top, as shown in Fig. 4, when the plunger is raised to the desired position in the mold. By shifting the adjustable stop 39 from one opening to the other the length of stroke of the plunger is varied, and the size or weight of the mold of butter is thus readily varied. As shown, adjusting-stop 39 is made so that its outer end clears spring 37 as the piston-rod is pushed downward or pulled upward. By these means molds of butter of any desired size or weight may he made in the same mold.

Inasmuch as butter varies greatly in quality, character, and density and as a mold of given size would accordingly with different kinds of butter make molds of slightly-varying Weight, I preferably provide means for adjusting the length of the piston-rod between stop 39 and the face of the plunger, so as to compensate for the said difference in quality and density of the butter by varying the size of the operative part of the mold. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner. In the form shown in the drawings I accomplish it by making the lower end of -t-he piston-rod 35 screw-threaded, as at 44, and provide a screw-threaded opening therefor in the plunger. If the quality or density of the butter is such that a pound will occupy less space, I turn thumb-piece 36 so Y as to cause the screw-threaded end 44 of the Y said opening 45.

piston-rod to enter a little less deeply into If the butter is of opposite character, I turn screw-thread 36 in the opposite Way. In this manner the size of the operative part of the mold may be very delicately adjusted.

Itis of the utmost importance that the molds be connected with the butter-receptacle so that butter or buttermilk cannot escape at the points of junction.v This forms one of the great obstacles in the way of the successful use of a butter-molding machine for forming molds of butter. In my improved machine these connections are made so tight that no butter or buttermilk can escape. The preferred form of such connections is shown in Fig. l. For this purpose the openingin each mold is of exactly the same size as the openings 9 in the rotary cutter. The Walls of the mold extend down to said openings and on their exterior are beveled, as at 46, and are adapted to be pressed against a beveled seat 47 of a cap 4S, screwed upon the top of the butter-receptacle and forming part thereof. Iprovide means for locking said beveled ends against the seat and for unlocking them. These means, as shown, consist of ribs 49 upon the molds, adapted'to take into grooves in projections 50 from cap 48. The ribs 49 are so arranged rthat there are openings 5l between the ribs of slightly-larger size than the projections 50. The molds are placed in position by placing the openings 51 over the projections 50, pushing down the molds until ribs 49 are in line with the groove in the projections, and then turning the mold. Ribs 49 may be inclined to further aid in tightening the joints. The molds are removed by turning the mold so as to bring openings 5l in line lwith projections 50, when the molds may be readily removed.

The cutter in the form shown in the drawings is mainly supported and is turned by post 55, which passes through lcap 48 and is secu red to the cutter. The diameter of the post is greater above the cap than elsewhere, thus forming a shoulder which rests upon cap 43. Cutter 8 is also partially supported by its periphery extending into a groove in the inside walls of the butter-receptacle, as shown in Fig. l. This tends also to make tighter the joint between the cap and the receptacle and also avoids any crevice in which `butter might lodge.

I am aware that attempts have been made to force butter into molds by means of a piston working in a butter-receptacle and forcing the butter into molds, and that in one such attempt the butter-receptacle was caused to rotate. None of these attempts have, so far as I have been aware, been successful in producing an operative machine that could make butter-molds of any size in a practical or successful manner, especially when molds of any size larger than 'pats are to be made. None of these machines have succeeded in preventing the escape of butter or buttermilk from the machine While in operation. In none of them is therea piston which is caused to move longitudinally in abutter-receptacle by means of the rotation of the butter-receptacle, and none of them disclose a plunger for a mold whose surface is made up of a substance to which butter is not inclined to cling or whose surface is made of plaster-ofparis, and none of them disclose the other features of myinvention not above enumerated.

By means of myimproved machine all of the obstacles above referred to iu the way of successful butter-molding, which have heretofore been insuperable, are entirely overcome and butter can be molded into large molds or forms of a predetermined size or Weight easily, quickly, Without loss of butter or buttermilk, and Without any clinging of the butter to the mold or any disgurement or destruction of the design imprinted upon the butter, and all of the butter in the butter-receptacle can be forced into the molds.

The packing for the piston of the butterreceptacle above described has the advantage that ybeing very cheap and easily removed and replaced by other packing it need be used but once. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to use packing in a butter-molding machine for any length of time, as the packing soon becomes foul from contact with the roo IIO

butter. The packing should be renewed at every new operation of 'the machine.

Many modifications in addition to those vheretofore recited can of course be made from the form of devices shown in the drawings without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. `In amachine for molding butter,the combination of a receptacle for the butter rotatable upon its axis but immovable longitudinally, means for rotating it, a piston rod adapted to move longitudinally in the butterreceptacle, a piston carried by the piston-rod, suitable packing upon the periphery of the piston, means actuated by the rotation of the butter-receptacle for imparting longitudinal motion tothe piston-rod, a mold connected with the butter-receptacle, a rotary cutter between the butter-receptacle and the mold provided with an opening of the same size as theopening of the mold, means for rotating the cutter for severing the butter forced into the mold from that remaining in the butterreceptacle, and means for removing the butter from the mold, whereby molds of butter may be formed.

2. Inamachinefor moldingbuttenthecombination of a butter-tight receptacle for the butter mounted upon suitable framework but immovable longitudinally .of the receptacle thereon, suitable framework therefor adapted to be secured to the flooring, a piston-rod ,adapted to move longitudinally in the butterforced into the mold from that remaining in the butter-receptacle, whereby molds of butter may be formed in the machine.

3. In a machine for moldingbutter,the combination with a receptacle for the butter,

4means for forcing the butter into the mold and a cutter for severing the butter in the mold from that remaining in the butter-receptacle, of'a mold for shaping the butter, a plunger therein adapted to move in the mold, a spring for normally holding the plunger at the end of the mold toward the butter-receptacle, and for automatically ej ecting the butter from the mold when relieved from pressure on its opposite side, and means for re# lieving the plunger from the action of said spring, whereby molds of butter may be formed.

4. Inamachine for molding butter,the combination with a receptacle for the butter,

means for forcing the butter into the mold and a cutter for severing the butter in the mold from that remaining in the butter-receptacle, of a mold for shaping the butter, a plunger therein adapted to move in the mold, a spring for holding the plunger at the end of the mold toward the butter-receptacle, a stop adapted to engage With the plunger for holding it against the action of the spring, whenthe mold is filled, to remove the pressure of the spring from the butter, and means for moving the plunger to eject the butter from the mold, whereby molds of butter may be formed.

5. In a machine for moldingbutter,the combination with a receptacle for the butter, means for forcing the butter into the mold and a cutter for severing the butter in the mold from that remaining in the butter-re-` ceptacle, having an opening of the same size as the end of the opening in the mold and adapted in one position of the cutter to register with the opening of the mold, of a removable mold for shaping the butter having its walls extending to thesaid opening in the cutter and beveled on their exterior, a beveled seat for the beveled ends of the walls of the mold, means for locking said ends against the seat and tor unlocking them, whereby the mold will be held firmly in contact with the said seat to prevent leakage of butter or buttermilk, a plunger in the mold, and means for moving the plunger in the mold to eject the butter, whereby molds ot' butter may be made Without leakage of butter or buttermilk.

6. In a machine for molding buttcr,the combination with a receptacle for. the butter,

`means for forcing the butter into molds, a

plurality of removable molds for shaping the butter, a rotary cutter between the butter'- receptacle and the molds provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged openings of the same size as'the openings of the molds, and adapted in one position of the cutter to register with the openings of the mold, means for rotating the cutter operated from the outside of the casing, each mold hav ing its walls extend to the said opening in the cutter and beveled on their exterior, a beveled seat `for the beveled ends of the walls of each mold, means for locking said ends against the seat and for unlocking them, whereby each mold will be held firmly in contact with the said seat and with the cutter to prevent leakage of butter or buttermilk, a plunger in each mold, and means for moving the plunger in each mold to eject the butter, whereby molds 'of butter may be made without leakage of butter or buttermilk.

7. In a machine for molding butter,the combination with a butter-tight receptacle for the butter, means for forcing the butter into the mold, and a mold for shaping the butter, of a rotary cutter between the butter-receptacle and the mold, and means for rotating the cutter to cause the cutter to sever the butter in IOC IIO

the mold from that remaining in the recep- Lt acle.

8. Inamachine fo1mo1dingbutte1',the combination with a receptacle for the butter,

-means for forcing the butter into the mold,

and a mold for shaping the butter, of a rotary cutter between the butter-receptacle and Athe mold provided with an opening of the same size as the opening of the mold, and means for rotating the cutter to cause the cutter to sever the butter in the mold from that vremaining in the receptacle.

9. Inamachineformoldingbutter,the combination with a receptacle for the butter, means for forcing the butter into the mold, and a mold for shaping the butter, of a rotary cutter between the butter-receptacle and the mold provided with an opening of the same size as the opening lof the mold, and

the same size as the openings of the molds,l

`to sever the butter in the molds from'that remaining in the receptacle.

11. In a machine for molding butter, the combination of a receptacle for the butter rotatable upon its axis but immovable 1ongitudinally, means for rotating it, a screwthreaded piston-rod adapted to move longitudinally in the butter-receptacle, a piston carried by the piston-rod, a nut composed of parts secured to the butter receptacle, and adapted to close together to engage with the screw-threaded piston-rod to move the latter longitudinallyin the cylinder and toopen t0 release the piston-rod,a cam movably connected with the butter-receptacle and adapted to eugage with a projection from each part of the nut and means for moving the cam for closing or opening the nut.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ALFRED U. DODGE.

Witnesses:

ROBERT S. PARSONS, E. B. HEMINGWAY. 

